Source: http://www.un.int/usa/press_releases/20080109_002.html http://www.un.int/usa/press_releases/20080109_002.html
Date: January 9, 2008




USUN PRESS RELEASE #   002(08)
January 9, 2008 

AS DELIVERED Office of Press and Public Diplomacy 
United States Mission to the United Nations 
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New York, N.Y. 10017

Remarks by Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Permanent Representative, on Sudan and Lebanon, at the Security Council Stakeout, January 9, 2008





 
Ambassador Khalilzad: Good afternoon.  We've had a discussion this morning after Mr. Guéhenno's report with regard to two issues; one, the attack on the 7th on the UNAMID forces by elements of the Sudanese Armed Forces.  There has been, in the course of discussion, I believe, unanimous - and I don't want to speak for others, but from what I heard - condemnation of the attack by my colleagues in the Security Council.  We, for our part, have circulated a draft PRST condemning the attack and emphasizing that it must not reoccur.  And also, as you heard from Mr. Guéhenno publicly, there was - has -been a discussion of where we are with regard to deployment of forces, UNAMID forces, and you heard from him and we share his concerns that both, with regard to the heavy package and with regard to UNAMID, there hasn't been sufficient progress in terms of deployment of forces.  And there are concerns about the Sudanese government's cooperation.  You've heard me say repeatedly that the government has been dragging its feet.  It dragged its feet to get to an agreement with regard to the UNAMID, and now it's dragging its feet with regard to implementing the agreement.  The cumulative effect of what the government of Sudan is doing is to have an ineffective force, not to be able to carry out its mission, and that's unacceptable to us.  And I have stated to my colleagues, and a number of other colleagues have also stated, we need to take stock of this and consider steps that incentivizes the government of Sudan to cooperate.  Similarly, we have expressed concern about the activities of rebel groups that are not conducive to security, to a peaceful agreement, settlement of the dispute, the political process, which is one of the key tracks besides the security track and the humanitarian track. 
There was concern also that the humanitarian situation in parts of Darfur is getting worse and also that the regional environment, and particularly the Chad-Sudan relationship, is becoming more difficult.  You know, we have been spending a lot of time on the Sudan situation since I've been here.  And given the situation, it's likely that this is going to be an issue on which we have to remain engaged.  There is a lot of work that still needs to be done.  Some progress has been made, but compared to what needed to happen, there's a gap, a significant gap that's still there.  And this is an important operation, important mission for the United Nations.  The lives of many people are at stake.  The future of an important country in Africa is at stake.  So the world, the international community, needs to remain engaged.  We will remain engaged and take stock and see what additional steps are needed to incentivize a positive development.  With that…  
Reporter: Ambassador, it seems to be and correct me if I'm wrong - you've been talking about the possible steps to incentivize them and take stock for some weeks now.  When are you going to do something? 
Ambassador Khalilzad: Well, we are discussing the issue with the Secretary-General.  We'll be talking to him again tomorrow.  He's had some discussions recently and I don't want to speak for him, but with the president of Sudan - I think in the last couple of days there is a sort of plan to meet with him.  We have had the P3 - the United States, United Kingdom and France are discussing the issue.  You're right that it has been some time that we have said adequate progress is not being made, the government is not as cooperative as it ought to be, some of the rebel groups are not as cooperative as they ought to be, the humanitarian situation is not what it ought to be, and that we need to look at what additional steps need to be taken. I grant you that.  But there are activities taking place, intervening factors, such as Secretary-General's engagement with the president of Sudan, as variables that we are keeping in mind.  But we believe for us to achieve success, unless progress is made, we need to look at what to do and particularly in our view, what additional steps we can take to incentivize cooperation. 
Reporter: Ambassador, you've been – I mean the U.N. has been warning the council for more than a month of just, you know, this kind of problem, what's happened.  Everybody knew it would happen. I mean, to some degree, does not this represent a sort of massive, you know, failure by the Security Council and, you know, the major powers in the world - that they haven't been able to come up with essentially the equipment that the U.N. needs to protect itself and that all this has been known before and that the council just hasn't been able to use its influence and power to deliver? 
Ambassador Khalilzad: Well, you're right about the fact that there is a lot at stake here.  I talked about the lives of people.  I've talked about the future of Sudan.  But you're right to point out that the credibility of the international community, the credibility of the U.N., the credibility of the Security Council all are engaged here.  And certainly we are, as the United States, pressing, engaging, discussing with other member states to provide the support necessary.  And we also have to recognize that the problem is in part due to the Sudanese government's attitude.  The more that it appears that it's unwilling to accept, to put conditions on acceptance, to delay acceptance, the more it makes it difficult to generate the capabilities needed.  The countries don't want to go through the effort of identifying assets if they are uncertain whether those assets will be at the end accepted.  So, yes, you're right about the supply side as an issue, but I think that also has to be in part blamed on the government of Sudan for its reluctance, for signaling that it is unwilling to embrace this mission wholeheartedly.  It seems like an ambivalent acceptance, at best.  But the stakes are high, you're right to point - you are right to point to that. 
Reporter:  (inaudible) – or U.S. credibility? 
Ambassador Khalilzad: Well, we are doing a great deal on this issue.  You've seen us here in the Security Council pressing, engaging, working with colleagues.  We are part of the Security Council.  We are part of the international community. We regard this issue to be very important.  You know how important it is for our public.  It's not only an issue at the official level; it's also American public opinion.  Many groups in the United States have been engaged on this issue.  But we're not where we need to be, and there is a big gap, where we need to be compared to where we are.  And we need to take stock and see what adjustment needs to be made. 
Reporter: Ambassador, on another peacekeeping force, yesterday there was a big change in the status quo on the Israeli-Lebanese border.  Two rockets were shot – I’m told now that UNIFIL was unable to detect or observe the firing.  Do you think UNIFIL, A, is operating correctly if it can't even detect firing from its own area of jurisdiction?  And also, do you think it was meant as a message to President Bush, who arrived yesterday? 
Ambassador Khalilzad: Well, I don't want to get into what UNIFIL has been able to do or not. I have not been formally informed of that.  But of course, we condemn the rocket attacks.  As we condemn the attacks on the UNIFIL forces.  It's very important that these attacks cease and do not take place and that as in the case of the attack on UNAMID, these attacks on peacekeeping forces, no matter where they happen, are unacceptable.  The Security Council has a particular responsibility in this regard because we authorize these forces to go.  So it's us in a sense that are being attacked, as the Security Council, as the United Nations.  And our French colleagues have proposed the statement in this regard, and the United States fully supports that statement. 
Reporter:  Was it a message for President Bush?
Ambassador Khalilzad: You know that the President is there.  They know that the President's there, but I can't guess the motives of those who perpetrate actions such as these rocket attacks. 
Reporter:  Ambassador, how do you see the reason of the reluctance that we might see in the big powers about the choppers, or the Security Council itself?  Ban Ki-moon was basically begging, at your place several weeks ago, that he needs choppers.  What is the reason of the reluctance? 
Ambassador Khalilzad: As I said some powers have, in terms of commitment of assets, other commitments.  There are discussions going on, with regard to helicopters, with a number of countries, to substitute perhaps helicopters from one mission, in order to make them available for this mission.  Those are legitimate needs.  They need to be provided.  And certainly we're doing our part, in terms of engagement with a number of countries, to see that those assets are made available as soon as possible.  Thank you very much.